Apparatus for handling coiled wire and rod



.| R. MacLEoD l 2,149,851

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING COTLED WIRE AND ROD March 7, 1939.

' Filed Jan. 2l, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 MQ lNvENToR.

ATTRNEYS L.. R. Macu-:0D 2,149,851

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING COILED-WIRE AND ROD V Filed Jan. 21, 1937 i 2 sheets-sheet 2 arch 7; 193,9.

L/b ATTORNEYS Q v Q Q v INVENTOR.

[ESTE/P. MQC E00.

Patented Mar. 1, 1939 fuNlrEoffsTATEs PATENT ortica I l I. v nrrnaarus' Foa'zrililme coILED WIRE n l I Illester R. MacLeotL Ardsley, N. Y., assignor to Anaconda Wire It` Cable Company, New York,

N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application January 21, 1937, serial No. 121,448

4 Claims.

My invention relates to apparatus for receiving coils of Wire,V and rods from coiling machines and transferring them for storage or further manufacturing. y

The invention relates more particularly to apparatus in which a rod, which is a heavy strand of metal such as copper, is fed onto a rotating .member at a speed substantially equal to the peripheral speed of the member at the point where the rod is fed to it. In apparatus of the above type, when a suiiicient length of the wire or rod has been supplied to the rotating member to make a. coil of the desired size and weight, the coil must be removed before a new coil can be 16 started. For this removal it has heretofore been necessary to lower the speed until the coiling apparatus is substantially stationary, then to removethe coil and again start the rotation. Wire for the "new coil cannot be fed until the coiling apparatus attains full speed. The necessity for slowing the apparatus to a stop with each coil greatly lessens the capacity of the coiling apparatus, because the average speed is greatly reduced by the gradual slowing and starting of the apparatus.y v

My invention avoids the necessity for this periodic stopping and starting of the apparatus and provides a take-off mechanism for the completed 4coils which l permits their' removal while 80 the coiling apparatus is running at top speed and without interruption. Y

The various features of my invention are, illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which- ,Fig. ,1 is a vertical section of a coiling apparatus and removal for take-ofi and transfer mechanism embodying a preferred'form ofthe invention; the parts being shown in the position preparatory to the transfer of a completed coil 3 from the coiling mechanism; Fig. 2 is a vertical section similar to that of Fig. l of the lower part of the apparatus of Fig. 1 showing the completed coll removed from the coiling mechanism and being transferred to a conveyor mechanism; and

Figs. Sand 4 are detailed sectional views of parts of the mechanism of Fig. 1.

In the take-olf and transfer mechanism ofmy invention a platform is provided in such a position that a completed coil may be dropped onto it from the coiling mechanism. Immediately prior to the dropping of a coil'onto this take-off mechanism the platform is brought f, to approximately the same. rotational speed as that of the coiling mechanism. vAfter a completed coil has l# been dropped onto the platform the latter is then brought to a stop while the coiling mechanism may continue its rotation and formation of a new coil without stopping or interruption. After the platform has been brought to a stop, the coil may be removed from it, as for example by'a suitable pusher and whereupon it may then be brought to the rotational speed of the coiling mechanism to receive anew coil.

In order to guide the coil in dropping from the coiling mechanism to the platform, a vertical sliding guide is provided which in its upper position` forms a substantially continuous inner guide from the coiling mechanism to the platform, which may then be'lowered below the platform` to permit the coil to be pushed sidewards from the latter. Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the invention is illustrated as applied to a coiling mechanism in which a length of wire or rod I0 is supplied through a guide tube 20 II, 'to av rotating annular member I2, having an. inner wall I3,- an outer-wall I4, and a, number of peripheral spaced radial supporting fingers I5, pivotally mounted by means of an upward extension I6 on brackets I1 on inner surface of the wall I3 and extending radially outwardly through slots II' in the wall. 'I'he inner wall I3 is supported from a vertical hollow shaft I8 by a connecting web or plate I9. The shaft I8 in turn is supported by bearing assembly V20 which includes a thrust or supporting bearing, and is mounted on supporting beams 2|. 'I'he assembly of shaft I8 and inner wall I3, together with the ngers I5 supported on the latter is- .continuously driven from a drive shaft 22 through beveled gears 23 and 24. The outer wall I4 is supported by means of brackets 25 and ring 28 on supporting rollers 26, and is centered by outer rollers 21 which bear against the ring 28 so that both walls I3 and I4 rotate simultaneously and continuously. A The outer wallA I4 may be locked to the inner wall and finger. assembly by lugs 29 which are engaged by one of the fingers I5. It is to be understood that the above is merely given by way of example as a type of continuously driven coiling apparatus to which my invention may be applied.

During the formation of the coil, such as the A coil 30, the fingers I5 are held in the full line position of Fig. 1, by means of rollers 3| mounted by means of brackets f32 and a supporting plate 33 on a.v vertical rod 34 that is free to rotate with the inner wall I3. A piston rod 35 extending downwardly from a cylinder and piston 36 rol A 1.

tatably engages the upper end of the shaft 34 so Y that when pressure fluid is admitted to the lower enY Partofthecylinderlitllftstherod 34 andwith it the plate 33 and rollers 3i until the latter reach the point of pivotal axis of the upward extension IG-of the finger I5 and strikes a horizontal ex- 5 tension 31 of the finger l5 whereupon the rollers 3l throw theiingers IStothepositionshownin dotted lines in Hg. 1, thus permitting the coil 38 to drop downwardly.

The' coil thus released from the ceiling machine is received on 'a platform 38 as indicated in the broken lines of Fig. l. The platform 38 is preferably of annular construction and is mounted on a vertical cylindrical support 38 coaxially with the platform 38 and with the axis of rotation of the coil forming assembly i3, I4 and I5. In order to deaden the shock of the dropping of the coil 30 on the platform 38, the latter is supported onthewalls38bymeans ofpins 40 extending downwardly at spaced intervals from the plate 38 m through an upper guide flange 4I and a lower supporting flange 42 projecting outwardly from the annular vertical wall 39, and having a shoulder 43 resting on springs 44. With this arrangement the shock of the falling coil is absorbed and g5 deadened by the springs 44. The lower supporting flange 42 also carries a guide ring 45 which bears against and is guided by a series of spaced rollers 46 mounted in brackets 41 on a supporting plate 48. 30 The vertical supporting wall 39 is rotatably supported on a vhorizontal plate 49, mounted on a hollow vertical shaft 58. The shaft 50 is supported at its lowerend in a supporting socket 5I having suitable bearings 52. In preparation to receive a completed coil 38, the supporting wall 39 and platform 38 are driven at the same speed as the annular chamber l2 by means of a mbtor 53 through a gear 54 which engages a gear 55 supported on brackets 56 on the wall 49. n After the completed coil is dropped onto the platform 88, the latter is brought to a stop by means of a brake 51 of any suitable type mounted. as shown by way of example on the motor 53.

A guide 58 is supported by means of a stem 59 for vertical movement from the interior of the wall 33 to the position shown in Fig. l in order to guide the falling coil 38. The guide 58 and the stemV 59 rotate with the wall 39 as a unit. The guide 58 and its'rod 59 are raised to the upper m position by means of uid pressure `admitted through a pipe El into the lower end of the hollow shaft 50 into which the stem 59 extends and which acts as a cylinder with the stem 59 as the piston. A suitable flexible packing 6| is mounted 55 on the lower end of the stem 58 to make it leakproof with the cylinder 58. It will be understood v that the guide 58 and the stem 58 are lifted by the uid pressure preparatory to the dropping of a. coil out on the platform and that as the plat- 60 form 38 is brought to a-stop. theguide 58 will be, or will have been, lowered to the position ,shown in Fig. 2 by withdrawing the-fluid pressure through the pipe 6 8.= The coil 38 may then be pushed sidewise from the platform 38.A h Any suitable means may be provided for removing the coil from the stationary platform.

. to the speed of the annular chamber I2.

'l'hrough the above invention the coiling mechanism may be' rotated continuously during the discharge of a completed coil, while permitting the coil to drop without abrupt change of speed 15 and, therefore, it has substantially the same effect as though the coiling machine has beenV brought to a stop. The discharge coil may then be brought to a stop and discharged while the coiling machine rotates unintermptedly.

What I claim is:

l. Apparatus for unloading coils from a coiling machine having a rotating coil forming member, comprising an annular platform positioned to re# ceive a coil discharged from said member, meansl to rotate said platform at the speed of said memj her and to bring it to a stop independently of the rotation of said member, and a guide movable, to said platform to and from said member to guide coils discharged from the member onto said Platform.

2. Apparatus for unloading coils from a coiling machine having a rotating coil forming member, comprising an annular platform positioned to receive a coil discharged from said member, means '3'5 to rotate said platform at the speed of said mem-V ber and to bring it to a stop, independently .of the rotation of said member, and a guide movable to said platform to and from said member gto y guide coils discharged from the member onto said o platform, and a pusher for pushing the coils from' said platform when said guide is lowered.

3. Apparatus for unloading coils from a ceiling` machine having a rotating coil forming member.'

which comprises a platform to receive a coil discharged fromxsaid member, a spring support for said platform to receive the shock of coils dropped thereon, and means to rotate said platform at the speed of rotation of said coil forming member and to bring it to a stop independently of the rotam tion of the latter.

v 4. Apparatus for unloading coils from a. ceiling machinehaving a rotating annular coil forming channel`-and coil supporting fingers in said channel, comprising-tan annular platform positioned Y to receivea coil discharged from said channel, a spring support for said platform, an annular vertical wall supporting said spring supports, means to drive said annular wall and with it the platform at the same annular speed as said coil formw ing channel, and to bring them to a stop independently ofv the latter, and a guide movable vertically within said annular wail to and from said coil forming channel.

R. MACLEOD. 

